This week I have mostly been bid writing. I have never done bid writing before and I’m fairly sure that I never want to do bid writing again. One thing I’ve learned – our fundraising team aren’t paid enough. They should be on at least three times the amount that we currently pay them because my word putting in funding applications is tedious. Students at SSE often complain about bid writing and until now my first thought has always been ‘how bad can it be?’ – now I understand.
It’s all meant that I’m miles behind with my Replica Watches emails so if you have sent something over to be included and it isn’t here it will be next week.
Enjoy the news…
That’s life
She’ll be embarrassed that I’ve included this as the first item in the news but our head of communications Sophie has been confessing to her love of Esther Rantzen in ‘The Female Focus’, an interview with CLO PR.
You’ve read all about her, now see her in action
Sophie will be hosting the final webinar in our three part webinar series with RSA next Friday (14th) at 12pm. ‘Communicating your vision to achieve your ambitions’ will guide participants on to identifying target audiences and deepening understanding of how to reach them through the tools of communications and social media.
It’s free to take part and you can sign up here
It’s a deal, it’s a steal…
We’ve got 15 heavily discounted tickets available to readers of HIGSENFY (or their team) to learn digital marketing with Alasdair Inglis of Grow (who runs fast-paced and well-received workshops at SSE London). We are excited to offer a half-day digital marketing masterclass for only £28 instead on £98 (I’ve been on the course myself and thoroughly recommend it.)
All attendees get a detailed 25-page workbook and all the workshop slides. You will leave the workshop with a step-by-step online marketing action plan. There are dates in London throughout 2019.
Use the code SSE28 when you make your booking to get a discounted ticket.
Click here to find out more and book
One, two, three, fore
The Fore Trust have opened applications to their grants programme to support funding and strategic support to early-stage charities and social enterprises. Development funding of up to £30,000 is available to charities, social enterprises and community interest companies with a turnover of less than £500,000 per year. The deadline for applications is 7th January.
Legal Eagles
Not for profit law firm and social finance consultancy Prime Advocates are running a programme called Social Finance Hot Desk, providing pro bono legal support and advice on non-time sensitive issues from top law firms to qualifying social enterprises. Examples of the support undertaken include:
- Corporate: updating constitutional documentation, corporate deal documents e.g. articles or mission objects
- Commercial contracts: supplier terms, legal research memos e.g. crowd funding methods
- Structuring: Selecting the right legal entity for your social enterprise.
- Staffing: template employment and volunteer agreements
- Advocacy: Research on laws in multiple countries, comparing best (and worst) practices
- Funding: Finance or investment agreements and consulting support (cost benefit analysis)
It’s a free service for social enterprises – if you’d like to know more of have an issue that you need help with contact Scott Cummings – [email protected]
Membership is where the heart is
Social Enterprise UK, our neighbours in The Firestation, are recruiting for a Head of Membership. The role ‘would be the main face of membership across the organisation. It is a key role in ensuring that, internally, all SEUK staff continue to keep “membership at the heart of everything we do”. Externally, it is about ensuring membership satisfaction by improving retention rates, being responsible for initiatives to improve and enhance the member experience as well as meeting our ambitious new member targets.’
If that sounds like the right job for you, apply here. Closing date is 6th January.
Shop to it
Your Own Place, a Norfolk-based social enterprise founded by SSE Fellow Rebecca White that prevents youth homelessness, has launched a new totally transparent giving Christmas campaign. It’s a clever idea; young people in transition create a profile and an Argos wish-list on Your Own Network and then donors can buy items that get shipped directly to a young person who is making a house a home this Christmas.
Read all about it
A nice bit of media coverage for SSE Fellow Josh Babarinde in the Evening Standard this week. His organisation Cracked It! is a social enterprise smartphone repair service staffed by young ex-offenders and youth at risk.
You can read the Standard article here
You too?
SSE Fellow Suzi Godson’s social enterprise MeeTwo has just published the amazing MeeTwo Teenage Mental Help Handbook. It combines young people’s personal mental health stories with an unbelievably extensive directory listing the best support groups, helplines, websites, apps, books, media and self-help activities for the 20 leading issues that come up on the MeeTwo app. The book also includes interviews with leading experts such as Sir Simon Wessely, Sarah Jayne Blakemore, Sir Richard Layard and Sir Anthony Seldon.
For a limited period MeeTwo will send one free copy to a nominated UK school for every copy purchased.
Last but not least
Finally, SSE Fellow Jay Stewart has a couple of vacancies at his organisation Gendered Intelligence, a CIC which aims to increase understandings of gender diversity and to improve the lives of trans people. Based in London, they are looking for both a full time administrator and a Trans Youth Work: Colours Youth Group Lead.
Details for both roles are available on their website
Want to receive this in your inbox every Friday morning? Sign up here
What’s on at SSE:
- Measuring Social Impact, London, 14th and 15th Jan
- Crowdfunding for Charities and Social Enterprises, London, 18th Jan
- How to Create an Authentic Mission Led Brand, London, 22nd Jan
- Handling Difficult Conversations, London, 5th Feb
- Writing Successful Bids, London, 13th Feb
